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Long March 2D | Unknown Payload is scheduled to fly aboard a Long March 2D from Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1) on 2026-04-24. LaunchDetect tracks the rocket's thermal signature in geostationary satellite infrared imagery from the moment the engines ignite, giving you an orbital vantage point on the ascent that ground cameras cannot match.
The pad sits at 28.2470°, 102.0290°. Our detection pipeline ingests GOES-18, GOES-19, and Himawari-9 frames and isolates plumes within seconds of liftoff. You can watch it happen live during the launch window.
Launch windows slip. Weather scrubs missions. LaunchDetect monitors the actual hardware on the pad, not the schedule, so you see the launch the moment it happens, regardless of broadcast availability.
Window: 2026-04-24T06:00:00+00:00 to 2026-04-24T07:00:00+00:00 UTC. Site: Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1). Vehicle: Long March 2D.
| Mission | Long March 2D | Unknown Payload |
| Vehicle | Long March 2D |
| Site | Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1) (xichang) |
| Coordinates | 28.24696, 102.029 |
| Window | 2026-04-24T06:00:00+00:00 to 2026-04-24T07:00:00+00:00 UTC |
| Status | complete |
LaunchDetect monitors GOES-18, GOES-19, and Himawari-9 geostationary weather satellites for the thermal signature of every rocket launch on Earth. The platform turns 22,000-mile-altitude infrared imagery into a live, browser-based view of ascent. See the live tracker or browse all upcoming launches.